Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining recognition for treating conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD and addictions. Currently, ketamine is the only medicine legally available for this therapy. Other substances, such as MDMA and psilocybin also show promise for treatment of depression and anxiety. In Colorado, plant medicines which include psilocybin will be available through licensed healing centers and with licensed facilitators in 2025.

It is vitally important to approach these substances and psychedelic therapeutic experiences with deep respect. Interaction with these medicines should be preceded with thoughtful preparation and intention setting. The greatest long term benefit is usually achieved with an appropriate support system in place and on-going integration of the work.

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can provide a new therapeutic tool toward healing and self-discovery. Our team is caring and expertly-trained to walk alongside you through the process, whether answering your questions leading up to and after your psychedelic experience or as the trusted facilitator by your side throughout the entire experience (eg. preparation, dosing, and integration).

Shift Healing provides a safe and supportive environment to allow you to seek answers and address your mental health challenges by deepening your understanding of yourself through Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).

When integrated into your mental health journey, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy provides a door way to a new and deeper sense of mental wellness– and Shift Healing can help you build your own path from there.

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Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and PTSD. It is considered a dissociative and has been used in anesthesia for many decades.

Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hours after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks. Ketamine works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors as well as stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement. When complemented with psychotherapy, the benefits of the treatment can be longer lasting and more meaningful.

Ketamine can be administered in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, via nasal spray and using sublingual lozenges.

At Shift Healing through our work with our partners Dr. Baumgartner or Dr. Garas, they prescribe either the sublingual lozenge form, much like a cough drop, or an Intramuscular injection. It is between the client and the prescribing provider to decide on the optimal treatment plan. Our psychologists at Shift Healing provide the Preparation and Integration psychotherapy.

The effects of ketamine last for approximately 45-75 minutes. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. Once these effects subsided, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained become more clear over time and with dedicated integration psychotherapy.

Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.

Ketamine-Assisted Therapy 101

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy can be an adjunct to talk therapy. It is a modality in which ketamine is used as tool to deepen personal growth and healing alongside psychotherapy. Some patients experience breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, also known as KAP, has a history of clinical success when use to treat issues such as trauma, depression, and anxiety.

We partner with medical providers who must first evaluate and recommend a treatment plan prior to our involvement with the Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy.

Dr. Clarice Baumgartner

Dr. Wael Garas

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What to Expect with Your Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Session

Preparation Session(s)

Our team at Shift Healing will sit down with you to discuss your goals of your session and overall care plan. Our trained experts in psychedelic-assisted therapy will illustrate the entire process for you, so you know what to expect in your upcoming treatment sessions.

We encourage establishment of intention setting and lightly held expectations.

Medicine or Dosing Session

During your session, our expert staff will be right by your side, providing safety and allowing your inner healing intelligence to be the guide. We will be there to provide support to ensure your psychedelic journey is enlightening for you and offer you the tools to be able to enter into the experience with openness and a beginners mindset.

Integration Session(s)

Our team knows how to help you integrate your work and progress into your overall wellness plan. We will help you make sense of your journey and identify tools to continue to unfold your experience for days, weeks, or years into the future. Integration is akin to physical therapy after a joint replacement; it is essential to make the most lasting meaning out of the psychedelic experience.

Psychedelic Assisted Therapy

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Denver

The use of psychedelics have a long history all around the world. Many indigenous cultures have used “plant medicine” going back thousands of years– playing an integral part in the development of medicine and spiritual culture within its society. The rituals and practices surrounding psychedelics naturally have deep ties to self-discovery, understanding, and enlightenment.

In today’s world, the same is still true. Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy provides options for those looking to address challenging mental health issues by opening a new window to look deeper into themselves.

Trauma and PTSD

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy can help you address painful points of your past in a safe and protected space. The professionals at Shift Healing will work with you to find the root causes contributing to your mental health issues and guide you safely and comfortably through the process.

Depression

Depression can be one of the most challenging mental health condition to address. On top of affecting your social and physical well-being, it can be one of the most persistent and chronic mental health struggles for those who are experiencing it. Psychedelic-assisted therapy can help with depression, especially when it has been resistant to treatment in the past. When integrated with traditional therapy, patients can delve deeper and find a way to address what is at the core of the depression in the first place.

Seeking a new path to healing?

When you embark on a healing journey with the professionals at Shift Healing, you are not going alone. You will be joined by a caring professional team, that will walk with you, help find the answers, and provide the tools to help you do more than live– they will help you thrive.

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*Please note we will make every effort to schedule with your preferred therapist, but availability and specialities are also taken into consideration.

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Helping People Access Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Shift Healing KAP Fund – To make a donation which provides financial assistance to qualified individuals seeking KAP treatment with Shift Healing, please click the button below. Your Donation helps make KAP accessible to those who need it but cannot afford it on their own.

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